Resilient automobile-wheel.



J. H. DOUGLASS. RESILIENT AUTOMUBILE WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED IAN. 4,11916.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

I. H. DOUGLASS. l RESILIENT AUTOMOBILE WHEEL.

:APPLICATION FILED MNIM RIE Patented 2 SHE Sept. 16.

ETS-SHE l 3mm/m uf lass annua JAMES DOUGLASS, F HEFIELD, MSSISSIPLP.

nnsimnn'r aumentarne-wanna.

fight-@3.

Specification of Letters Patent.

i Application ledlanuary t, 1916. Serial No. 70,173.

To all whom it may concern.' Be it known that I, JAMES H. DoUoLAss,

a citizen ofthe United States, 'residing at f Norfield, in the county of Lincoln and State g of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Resilient Automobile-Wheels; and I do hereby declare the following' to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enl@ able others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

heiinvention relates to improvements in resilient wheels. v

TheA object of the present invention is to a@ improve the construction of resilient wheels and to provide a simple, practical and comparatively inexpensive resilient wheel designed for use on automobiles, motor trucks y and various other vehiclesand adapted to no dispense with pneumatic tires to eliminate tire troubles and capable 'ofvaifording the desired resiliency' and of cushioning shocks in all directions radially of the wheel an incident to the same traveling over rough as roadways and contacting with obstructions aswell as' the strain incident to starting and stopping a machine.

With. these and other objects in view the invention consists in theconstruction and .$0 novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the 4at", form, proportion and minor details of construction -may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

lin the drawings Figure 1 is a side eleva- 4o tion o'f a.whee1'constructed in accordance with this'i'nvention, Fig. 2 is a sectional view l taken in the plane of the wheel, Fig. 3` is a transverse sectional view, Fig. et is a detail perspective view of one of the radially arranged blocks or supports. Fig. 5 is a de tail perspective view of one ofthe springs.

Like numerals ofreference designate corresponding parts in `the Aseveral figures of the drawings.

side disks or plates 3 secured by bolts 4 tog In the` accompanyingdi'atiings. in` which' the body 'portion and connected at their outer portions adjacent to their peripheries by bolts l5 constituting pivots or -links 6.`

The links 6- which are arranged in an annu? lar series having inner rounded or substantially segmentall heads t which are arranged in bearing recesses 8 formeclin the periphery of the body portion 2 of the hub and forming knuckle Joints to permit a lateral swinglng of .the links in the plane 'of the wheel. The bearing recesses which are substantially semi-circular have their side walls formed by the outer portions of the side plates of the hub and the links are preferably tapered outwardly and their outer portions 9 are reduced by recessing them at their side faces to fit in the inner bifurcated ends l0 of spokes 11 circular in cross section and preferablyl composed of a body portion of tubular steel and solid terminal portions. The outer reduced ends of the links are pivoted by bolts or screws 12 in the bifurcations of Patenten sept. s, raie.

the inner ends of the spokes and the shoulders' 13 of the links are vcurved to conform to the roundedends of the spokes, the curvature of the parts' being concentric with the pivots- 12 to 'form knuckle joints for the outer ends of the links. y

The spokes are slidable through and guided in stufing boxes or tubular guides la carried by an inner rim or annular member 15l which is spaced from and arranged'concentric with an outer annular rim or member 16. The outer annular member or, rim 16 is maintained in spacedrelation with the inner member or rim 15 -by radially ai-,

ranged supports 17, preferably consisting of blocks tapered inwardly and secured to the said inner and outer annular members or rims by radially arranged bolts 18. The radially arranged bolts 18 pierce the blocks or supports centrally thereof and the said blocks or supports are arranged' at regular intervals andv form intervening spaces or compartments 19 into which extend the outer ends of the spokes, the stuffing boxes or guides being adapted to not only'guide.

the spokes but to exclude dust and dirt and moisture from the said compartments. The tubular guides or stufling boxes are provided -at their outer ends with flanges 20 and have threaded inner portions for the reception of cap nuts 21. The threaded portions o f the tubular guides or stuiiing boxes also receive -lock nuts'22. andgaskets 23 and 24; are ar ranged at. the inner and outer faces ofthe The cushions are removing the sections of inner rim or member i and are engaged by the said lock nuts and the flange of the tubular guide or stu'ing box. The gaskets assist in excluding Water and dirt from the compartments and the cap nuts may be provided With suitable packing :tor this pun pose. The outer ends or end portions are reduced by recessing them at their side faces and the said reduced portions extend through slots or openings 26 of springs 27 arranged in a circumferential series around the wheel and seated in their ends in recesses 28 in opposite sides of the radially arranged supports or blocks 17 and springs preferably consisting of a plurality oin4 leaveswhicli may be varied in number to provide the desired resiliency and 'to enable the wheel to Withstand the strain incident to the vehicle tor which itis desired. The reduced end portions of the spokes form inner conveirshoulders 29 and the springs are also engagedby outer convoi: portions of circular members 30 and 3l located at opposite sides of the outer end of the reduced portion 25 of each spoke and secured to the saine by a bolt 32 or other suitable fastening device which may be arranged in any desired manner..

he Wheel is also provided at its outer portion with annular side plates 33 preterably constructedin section as shown in Fig. l of the drawings and secured to the Wheel by transverse bolts Se which pierce the sections of the side plates andthe radially arranged supports. The side plates form side' Walls for the spaces or compartments Within 'which the springs are arranged and by the side plates access rnay loe-readily had to the said spaces or compartments..

The outer rim ber or other suitable material located be yond and normally spaced trom the outer ends of the spokes and adapted to be engaged to an excessive Weight. adapted to prevent noise and relieve the lsprings from a crushing strain.

The wheel may be equipped with any kind of a tire either solid or pneumatic and when a pneumatic tire is employed .a separate riin or the clencher or other type will be provided but it is preferable to employ a tire ot' some yieldable noiseless material and of a solid character so as not to be affected by punctures as the springs will aiford all the resiliency desired and the arrangement of the sliding spokes and the pivotedfiinks at the inner ends ot the spokes will permit a cushioning action in any direction radially of the Wheel. The spokes and the springs are movable independently of one another and each is unadected in its action by the operation of the other so that the spokes are capable of cushioning shocks from a plulsaid spokes for cushioning the saine and is provided at its inner pe-' riphery with bumpers or cushions 35 of rubiiergeee rality of directions simultaneously. The Wheel is adapted' for use on automobiles, trucks and the like and the number and size of the leaves of the springs may be varied to provide springs of the requisite strength'. The springs are flexed by the inward outward movement of the spokes and the convex curvatures which engage the springs admit ofa ready flexing of the springs Without injury to the same through contact therewith.

"What is claimed is A,

1. A Wheel of the class described includl ing a hub, an outer portion surrounding the hub and arranged in spaced relation with.` the same, spokes slidable in the outer portion of the Wheel, an annular `series of springs located at the outer ends o the spokes and supported at their terminalsand connected at an intermediate point Withthe means for connecting the inner ends 'et the spokes with the hub. l

2. A Wheel of the class described including a hub, an outer portion surrounding the hub 'and arranged in spaced relation With the saine, said outer portion being provided at intervals With spaced supports, springs connected at their ends to the spaced supports, spokes slidable in the outer portion ofthe Wheel and connected at their outer ends with the springs at a point intermediate of the ends thereof and means for conpefjting the inner ends of the spokes with the nu 3. A Wheel of the class described includ ing a hub, an outer portion surrounding the hub and arranged in spaced relation with the same, said outer portion comprising iiiner and outer annular members, radially ar- 105 ranged supports connecting the inner and outer members and arranged at intervals, springs extending across the spaces between the supports and connected at their ends to the same, spokes slidable in the outer portion of the lwheeland connected intermediate of the ends thereof and means with the springs for connecting the inner ends oi3 the spokes with the hub.

il. ifa Wheel of the class described includinglal hub, an outer portion comprising nier/eee si intervals with supports, springs arranged in the outer ortions of the wheel and connected at their ends to the said supports and provided with 'slots dor openings spokes slid'A able on the outer portion of the wheel and 4 havingl their outer ends extending through the said slots or openings of the springs and provided at their outer portions withshoulders for engaging the springs at the inner sides thereof and means projecting laterally from the outer portions of the spokes for engaging the springs' at the outer sides thereof, said spokes being connected at their inner ends with the hub. l l

6. A Wheel ofthe class described includv ing a hub,- an outer portion comprising inner and outer annular members, substantial radial supports interposed between the inner and outer members and secured to the same and arranged at intervals and side plates also connecting the inner and outer members, springs lextending across the spaces between the supports, stu'iing boxes mounted on the inner member` and forming guides, spokes slidable in the guides and connected at their outer ends with the said springs and links connecting the inner ends ofthe spokes with the hub.y v i In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JES H. DUGLSS. Witnesses: j

JOHNJ. STEVENS, W. B. HIGmiANDs.

copies of this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressing' the' Commissioner of Potente, Washington, D. C. 

